PRO FOOTBALL

Veteran Clubs Get a Lesson From Panthers and Jaguars

Published: September 2, 1996

Carolina easily beat Atlanta and Jacksonville had no trouble with Pittsburgh yesterday, proving that the phrase ''expansion team'' may no longer apply to the second-year clubs. But quarterback problems and another devastating injury may mean Pittsburgh will have trouble living up to its ''Super Bowl contender'' label.

Playing in Jacksonville, the Jaguars scored a 24-9 victory over the Steelers. And Pittsburgh lost the All-Pro linebacker Greg Lloyd for the season because of a knee injury -- a torn tendon in his left patella.

The Jaguars put the game away when linebacker Kevin Hardy, the No. 2 selection in this year's college draft, intercepted a Mike Tomczak pass in the fourth quarter. James Stewart then scored on a 1-yard run for their 24-9 lead with 4 minutes 49 seconds remaining.

The Steelers looked nothing like the team that almost won the Super Bowl in January with Neil O'Donnell, who went to the Jets through free agency in the off season.

Pittsburgh started Jim Miller, a third-year pro who won the quarterback derby over Kordell Stewart and the 11-year veteran Tomczak. Miller completed only three passes longer than 10 yards.

Stewart wasn't effective, either. The Jaguars stuffed two option runs, and he missed badly on his two pass attempts.

And after Tomczak's interception -- his first snap of the game -- he was sacked twice by Jeff Lageman. The Jaguars, who had an National Football League-low 17 sacks last year, had 4 against the Steelers.

The Jaguars' Mark Brunell ran a conservative but efficient offense, throwing two touchdown passes and completing 8 of 13 passes in third-down situations. Brunell, entering his first season as the starter, was 20 of 31 for 212 yards.

He couldn't be blamed for his two interceptions -- one bounced off Keenan McCardell's hands, another was snared by Rod Woodson on a broken route by Andre Rison.

Woodson, making his first start since tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the first game last year, was also involved in the Lloyd injury.

Lloyd's left knee buckled when Woodson bumped into him on a blitz in the third quarter. Lloyd, a key element of the Steelers' ''Blitzburgh'' defense, was taken off the field on a cart. Trainers placed an air bag around his knee, and Lloyd was taken for X-rays.

Steelers defensive end Ray Seals is already out for the year with a torn rotator cuff.

In Charlotte, N.C., Kerry Collins threw for 198 yards and 2 touchdowns to help the Panthers open Ericsson Stadium with a 29-6 victory over Atlanta -- the highest-scoring day in the franchise's 17-game history. John Kasay added five field goals.

Collins, the 29th-rated quarterback as a rookie last season, was solid, completing 17 of 31 passes. But that was good enough against the Falcons, who were worst in the league defending the pass and ranked 29th in overall defense last season.

Kasay kicked field goals from 32, 36, 53, 38 and 42 yards and Carolina used almost constant blitzing to derail Jeff George and the league's only remaining run-and-shoot offense. George wound up with 215 yards on 16-of-35 passing. He had 107 of those yards in the first half, when the Panthers built a two-touchdown lead.

The Panthers sacked George seven times and frequently flushed him from the pocket, repeatedly bringing the crowd to its feet at the Panthers' new facility in downtown Charlotte. The Panthers played their first-year home games in Clemson, S.C.

Morten Andersen provided Atlanta's only scores with field goals from 46 and 33 yards. Andersen, in his 15th season, tied George Blanda for third on the N.F.L.'s all-time field goals list with 335.